Some 20 years ago the introduction of levodopa opened a new era in the treatment of Parkinson's disease. Although levodopa remains the single most effective drug for the treatment of this maladie, challeng- ing therapeutic problems arise in many patients after several years of sustained treatment. Among these, fluctuations in motor performance and drug-induced involuntary movements are the most troublesome. The search for improved antiparkinsonian medications therefore con- tinues and important new developments have already occurred, for example the introduction of the dopaminergic ergots and the selective MAO-B-inhibitor selegeline (deprenyl) into routine treatment. The International Workshop on Parkinson's Disease held in Inns- bruckjIgls primarily considered a new compound with antiparkinsonian properties unrelated to any of the conventional drugs - the diphenyl- ex- piperidine compound budipine. The present volume records the perimental and clinical data on budipine presented at the meeting. The editors felt especially encouraged by the authorative biochemical, physiological, clinical and therapeutic reviews that were given at this symposium by outstanding experts in the field of extrapyramidal dis- orders. Their inclusion should make this volume a valuable source of information on a variety of current research aspects into Parkinson's disease. InnsbruckjLondon, October 1984 The Editors v Contents James Parkinson and the Treatment of His Disease. G. Stern ...
